Quotes of the day

posted at 9:00 pm on December 31, 2010 by Allahpundit

“Palin is by no means politically unnuanced. Quite the contrary, she is as politically savvy as they come, whether on the domestic or international front. Her speeches during the recent congressional elections were not only unteleprompted barnburners in the best populist tradition, but revealed a meticulous command of the domestic issues currently bedeviling the nation as well as a finely nuanced understanding of America’s pancreatic failures in international diplomacy. She displays a far more realistic perspective on the Middle East and has far more accurately taken the measure of America’s geopolitical competitors, particularly Russia and China, than anyone in the Democratic administration.

“But is Palin electable? The next two years will determine whether she will be able to counter the slanderous media campaign against her candidacy and her competence, and so convince enough people that she has the right stuff to lead the country in perhaps its most perilous historical moment since the Civil War. Clearly, she suffers more than her share of antagonists among the megabuck left and their myriad satellites, Ivy League academics, mainstream journalists, public intellectuals, union impresarios and henchmen, and the entitlement-addicted segment of the public. They are terrified of her. She even has the panjandrums in the Republican old guard shaking in their Guccis.

“As Victor Volsky writes in American Thinker, ‘in the eyes of the political/cultural aristocracy, [Palin] is the embodiment of its worst nightmare: the revolt of the masses against their masters.’ And she knows that the master class will mobilize its considerable reserves against her. The question is whether, by sheer force of character, will, and charisma, like an American version of Delacroix’s Marianne leading the charge at the electoral barricades, and by pursuing a tireless itinerary, she can prevail against overwhelming odds and bring to the American people authentic change and genuine hope for the future.”

***
“Yes, she did give at least a couple of Serious Policy Speeches, but I don’t get the sense that they got any traction at all, not with all of the tweets and the reality shows and the books stuff with platitudes. Her fans, of course, never needed convincing, but for the rest — and, here, I’m really focused on Republicans — is there anyone who wrote her off as a lightweight who is now giving her a new look because of her speech on the Fed? I very much doubt it. As for proving herself trustworthy to interest group leaders and Republican politicians, well, I haven’t seen any reporting that even hinted at that. She had some notable good calls in the 2010 contest, such as in the South Carolina gubernatorial race, but just as many bad, or just odd, endorsements. I can’t imagine that the Joe Miller fiasco helped, either.

“Mostly, she’s giving every indication that if she formally enters the race, she intends to run as a factional candidate by mobilizing her personal loyalists. That was a viable strategy in the 1970s, perhaps, at least on the Democratic side, but it’s highly unlikely that a factional candidate can win now in a coalition-style nominating process.

***
“On balance, these factors look somewhat less favorable to Ms. Palin than they did a year ago. In particular, it should be alarming to her how quickly some figures in the Republican establishment have turned against her. It is probably not a coincidence that these attacks began to escalate shortly after this November’s elections, in which Republicans were perceived as having sacrificed several Senate seats, like in Delaware and Nevada, because of having nominated unelectable candidates.

“Meanwhile — after an interim period in which she seemed to be playing the role of the happy warrior, endorsing and raising money for Republican candidates — Ms. Palin recently seems to have become less selective about the arguments that she is engaging in. Her choice to attack Ms. Obama’s anti-obesity initiatives, for instance, suggests that she is either not listening to advice or that her advisers are not highly competent. Instead, she should be erring on the side of turning the other cheek: one thing that has generally been true is that presidential candidates who project a sunnier, more optimistic disposition tend to outlast those that come across as angrier. This may be especially important for Ms. Palin, who is always a lightning-rod for criticism; she doesn’t need to instigate any conflicts that she isn’t already engaged in.

“Still, Ms. Palin has some unique strengths, like her ability to use new media to attract the political world’s attention virtually at her whim. It remains conceivable, also, that the attacks that Ms. Palin will receive from members of the Republican establishment — and those which she will eventually begin to receive from other Republican Presidential contenders — could be turned to her advantage if she manages them in the right way, considering the anti-establishment mood in some corners of the party.”

Breaking on Hot Air

Blowback

Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.

The man deserves all the prosperity this nation has to offer. I hope he retires in style and maybe gets involved in some leadership position. I don’t picture him standing idly by while all that he fought for turns to dust.

I am totally in line with his perception about our lack luster opposition of the GOP in the lame duck session. If I have read him right.

Love you Sarah but not this time. It is imperative to get rid of Barry and his regime in 2012 and we cannot take any chances.
I would support Huck but only because he can beat zer0 and that matters more than anything else.
We are on a precipice with this guy, he needs to go.

He retires this month and already has a job he is enjoying and he’s back with his loving family and you are right he deserves it all and more. I disagree a bit on the lame duck. While I was extremely unhappy with what got through, I wonder how many of the votes were revenge on the voters by those who lost their seats. I can’t be very unhappy about the GOP performance in the lame duck when their numbers were the same as the previous two years. I think there are some things that passed that they can undo with funding and overriding the president’s backdoor regulations. If that doesn’t happen,, and quick, than I will be disappointed.

So many things happened over such a short period of time it all became a blur. That may have been by design. Not enough time was allowed to even debate the matter amidst a flurry of obfuscation over the specific details.

I can’t believe Gubmint works this way.

But on Jan 4 we can hit the undo button. I want to see tangible results. None of this playing to the camera, saying we tried. I hope you are right.

I don’t picture him standing idly by while all that he fought for turns to dust. Geochelone on January 1, 2011 at 9:23 AM

“We” won’t let that happen Geochelone. I’m of the firm belief that there are still millions in this nation that understand the sacrifice and devotion Patriots like Hawk and so many others have given to make our lives more secure.

I am totally in line with his perception about our lack luster opposition of the GOP in the lame duck session. If I have read him right.

As are many. Yet, when this grassroots spirit rose above these status quo politicians last November, one can’t help but think there’s a small hope that “the purge of the aristocrats” is not over. This year, every one in the electorate must remind those who were installed to rein in this government ARE ON PROBATION! And they’re on a short leash. “We” put them in, and we can damn well take them out.

Dude [ or dudette]you must be joking. NO ONE can articulate the solid principles of Conservatism as well as Sarah Palin.

I know it hurts you to see your fellow leftist travelers ripped to shreds by her “snark” [as you call it] but even that is in the grand tradition of Ronald Reagan who continually ragged on his opponents with jabs exactly like hers.

It’s interesting that people like Nate Silver think that because the GOP establishment is against her, that means she’s not electable. Reagan waged all-out war with the GOP establishment in the run up to 1980 – a war he won. Not saying Palin can do this as successfully as Reagan, it’s just that Nate seems a little young sometimes.

If the GOP establishment had a candidate that had a good shot at winning, I’d be more persuaded by this argument. Unfortunately that’s not the case.

Are all trolls liberal? Even the most iconoclastic conservative poster is more of the form “these are the facts, this is what I believe, you are wrong”. Laying out what they truly believe, rather than the trolling objective of posturing, provoking, and disruption.

It’s interesting that people like Nate Silver think that because the GOP establishment is against her, that means she’s not electable. Reagan waged all-out war with the GOP establishment in the run up to 1980 – a war he won. Not saying Palin can do this as successfully as Reagan, it’s just that Nate seems a little young sometimes.

If the GOP establishment had a candidate that had a good shot at winning, I’d be more persuaded by this argument. Unfortunately that’s not the case.

Missy on January 1, 2011 at 10:48 AM

Thank you Missy. It gives me a chance to remind us all of what Reagan was putting up with 6 months before the ’80 elections:

Time Magazine – March 31, 1980

“National opinion polls continue to show Carter leading Reagan by an apparently comfortable margin of about 25%. They also show that more moderate Republicans like Ford would run better against the President. This suggests that Reagan is not the strongest G.O.P. choice for the November election and that he clearly faces an uphill battle.”

“Party operatives are plainly unhappy with his selection. In Massachusetts, where both Bush and Anderson defeated Reagan, party leaders are not yet reconciled to the Reagan candidacy. Says one: “There’s a vacuum of leadership at the national level; and what appears to be the Republican Party’s response? A 69-year-old man who has done virtually nothing for years”

“Reagan has a history of committing rhetorical blunders that drive away voters. His quest in 1976 was damaged when he suggested vaguely, without proper research and consideration, that $90 billion in federal programs should be turned back to the states. He then spent months explaining that the affected programs would not be eliminated, only transferred. As Governor, Reagan was outraged by student unrest and once proclaimed: “The state of California has no business subsidizing intellectual curiosity.”

“Worse perhaps than the verbal gaffe is Reagan’s relentlessly simple-minded discussion of complex problems. He is aware that he is charged with this failing, and in his 1967 inaugural address on becoming Governor of California, he asserted: “We have been told there are no simple answers to complex problems. Well, the truth is there are simple answers, just not easy ones.”

Time Magazine – March 31, 1980

1980:

1.Reagan was behind President Carter by 25%
2.Establishment Republicans didn’t like Reagan
3.Reagan was a blunderer who makes Gaffes
4.Reagan is simple-minded
5.Regan was an old man who hadn’t done anything in years.

2011:

1.Palin is behind President Obama by 25% + percent
2.Establishment Republicans don’t like Palin
3.Palin was a blunderer who makes gaffes
4.Palin is simple-minded
5.Palin is a young women who hasn’t done enough.

When they start writing children’s songs to Palin and having public school children singing about her during concerts, or people fainting in the audiences while she speaks, or when the media starts giving Palin puff pieces and trying to elect her, THEN you can compare Palin to Obama.

I think that many social conservatives are overestimating their control of the tea party movement. The real power lies in the middle with swing voters. The tea parties are a coalition of libertarians, conservatives and moderates alarmed by the hog wild spending of the past decade. But 70% of the public opposes cuts in entitlements and that should frighten anybody who cares about the future of this country.

Her speeches during the recent congressional elections were not only unteleprompted barnburners in the best populist tradition

Yes, but her understanding of her speeches is power point deep. She’s excellent at exactly what she is doing, but when she is taken off script and has to think on her feet, she goes into platitudinous bu~l s~~T mode.

1.Reagan was behind President Carter by 25%
2.Establishment Republicans didn’t like Reagan
3.Reagan was a blunderer who makes Gaffes
4.Reagan is simple-minded
5.Regan was an old man who hadn’t done anything in years.

2011:

1.Palin is behind President Obama by 25% + percent
2.Establishment Republicans don’t like Palin
3.Palin was a blunderer who makes gaffes
4.Palin is simple-minded
5.Palin is a young women who hasn’t done enough.

portlandon on January 1, 2011 at 11:22 AM

And don’t forget how Palin had a dynamic 15 year political career beginning with the president of the screen actors guild and culminating in a two term governorship of California before her first failed ran for… oh, never-mind.

I like Palin, but she needs to bake in the oven for another 8 – 12 years.

Palin has supporters.
Obama has Worshipers.
Pretty hard to tell the difference, especially around here.

JFS61 on January 1, 2011 at 12:45 PM

Nah, can’t even imagine Palin saying, “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for,” “this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow,” or standing in front of Roman columns pontificating to zombie crowds.

I’m really gettig tired of Charles Krauthammer and his bloviating. He was wrong about Obama, he was wrong about the Tea Party, he’s wrong about Obamacare and he’s wrong about Palin. And just what the hell has he done for the conservative movement lately–or ever for that matter? And why should conservatives care what he thinks anyway? He’s an elitist snob with no clue about the current culture or political climate in this country and only makes a fool of himself when he pontificates on either.

It seemed to me that when Krauthammer spoke, Conservatives all hushed and listened to see what the very wise man had to say on any subject, and if he spoke it, then it must be so. That’s the reason O’Reilly, ever the opportunist, started having him on regularly. It seems he isn’t the wisest sage after all, and he is now dead to me.

If Sarah Palin were as dumb as everyone says she is, they wouldn’t pay any attention to her. The political establishment is scared to death of Sarah Palin and it’s going to get worse. The longer she has a political life the more shrill the comments are going to be. It’s really pretty funny.

I don’t believe the polls and the reason why is that, if you say you support Sarah Palin and would vote for her, you’re sure to be in a fight before you can finish the sentence. It comes to the point where it’s easier to say you’re still thinking about it and mention the establishment candidates as the ones you’re looking it.

If she runs the proof will be in the voting booth. The post above, which compared the Time article on Reagan is surely comparable to this also. The sycophant press has a knack for tearing down those they feel are the top tier Republicans so, if you really want to know who has the best chance of winning, look at who they’re trashing the most, Chris Christie and Sarah Palin. When those 2 get Obama’s press, then you can start worrying, and it ain’t going to happen.

Now, without peeking, tell us where on that timeline Reagan was 46 years old. Okay, nearly 47.

Missy on January 1, 2011 at 1:18 PM

Let me guess, working for GE as a Democrat? (I’ll check after I post.)

I like Palin despite her faults. But I don’t believe that she’s capable of processing all she was deficient in two years ago in order to be an effective president two years from now. I’d like to see her run in about 10.

Charismatic: Yep. But that’s only a bad thing if it’s all you could say for her.
Your points: 1

Diverse: Well, it’s technically true that she’s a woman, but so are half the people in the country. Her husband is half Caucasian, half Native American, but that’s hardly remarkable in Alaska. No evidence she’s ever used “diversity” or “affirmative action” to get anywhere, though.
Your points: .5

No particular qualifications for president: Most presidents historically have been governors or generals, and very few just Senators. In fact, historically the best presidents have usually been governors, followed by generals, and Senators/legislators at the bottom.
Your points: 0

Cultish devotion to her: Show me a politician that doesn’t have devoted support, and I’ll show you a politician that loses elections. But cultish? I guess I missed the songs written about her, the people fainting in the audience, the schoolchildren performing programs in her praise, etc.
Your points: 0

So 1.5 points out of 5, and that’s being extremely generous. 30% is a failing grade anywhere.

And I’m still being too generous, because your central point is that she’s “just like Obama.” And that is a truly and deeply stupid thing to say, given Obama has been carefully prepped and groomed in politics for his entire career, and Palin had to fight against many in her own party to get elected governor — a trend that continues to this day.

I never said Palin was Reagan. I merely use the article as proof that the media, and polling showed Reagan and Palin in about the same place.

I listed out the similarities in the article.

And don’t forget how Palin had a dynamic 15 year political career beginning with the president of the screen actors guild and culminating in a two term governorship of California before her first failed ran for… oh, never-mind.

I like Palin, but she needs to bake in the oven for another 8 – 12 years.

elfman on January 1, 2011 at 12:52 PM

Palin’s political career began in the early 1990′s.

Palin was elected to the Wasilla City Council in 1992.

So Palin has held a political office from 1992-2009.

That is 16 years.

During that time she was also on the Oil and Gas commission.

Palin didn’t just appear in 2008. She had a political career long before that date.

I like Palin, but she needs to bake in the oven for another 8 – 12 years.

elfman on January 1, 2011 at 12:52 PM

I would also prefer a more seasoned Palin in her first Presidential run.

However, the country desperately needs a new President and I don’t think any of the other dudes are going to make the cut. No one has convinced me differently – in fact, hardly anyone is even trying. It’s all anti-Palin, not pro-someone else.

Please, someone, make the case for how ANY other contender can both win the primary AND beat Obama.

He and George Will are both interesting. I’d say Mr. Will has more conservative view points than Dr. Krauthammer but neither like it when the American people don’t use the inside voices. That’s when we get in the tough stuff territory.

Not if the spineless GOP doesn’t come to its senses and close the primaries. If they sit back and allow the Left to choose our candidate for us again then they deserve to be lynched. And if we let them get away with it then this nation deserves to go down in flames.

But 70% of the public opposes cuts in entitlements and that should frighten anybody who cares about the future of this country.

flataffect on January 1, 2011 at 12:30 PM

70% of the public has no clue as to the depth of the hole we’re in. We’re on our way to inflating our way into a large part of those entitlement reductions.

elfman on January 1, 2011 at 12:40 PM

70% of the public, at minimum, can’t tell the difference between being entitled to something because you paid/sweated for it (ie; SocSec) and being entitled to something because you think you deserve it.